WHITE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE AND CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER CAKE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Chocolate Stars:
• 6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Cake:
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 -1/2 cups whole milk
• Filling and Frosting:
• 3 cups chilled whipping cream
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1 lb. white chocolate such as Lindt or Bakers finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons amaretto or almond liqueur.

Preparation

Step 1

Chocolate Stars:

Line baking sheet with foil. Stir chocolate and shortening in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, tiling pan to spread chocolate mixture to irregular 14x9” rectangle. Refrigerate until just firm, about 12 minutes. Spray assorted star-shaped cookie cutters with nonstick spray. Cut out stars. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using small offset spatula, carefully transfer stars 1 at a time to another foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 9” cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, butter parchment. Stir unsweetened chocolate in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in lukewarm melted unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in cocoa powder mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Peel off parchment.

Filling and Frosting:

Bring 1 cup cream and butter to simmer in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Pour 1-1/2 cups white chocolate filling into small bowl, cover and freeze until cold, about 2 hours. Let remaining white chocolate mixture in saucepan stand ar room temperature until lukewarm, about 20 minutes. Beat remaining 2 cups cream and almond extract in large bowl of electric mixer until peaks form. Working in 3 batches, fold in lukewarm chocolate mixture. Refrigerate whipped cream frosting just until medium peaks hold, folding occasionally about 3 hours.

Brush 1 tablespoons amaretto over top of each cake layer. Place 1 layer on platter, spread chilled 1-1/2 cups white chocolate filling over. Top with second layer. Spread whipped cream frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until cold and set, about 1 hour. Arrange chocolate stars decoratively atop cake and serve.